dying/missing scarlet hermits

[meadbhb]

HIya,
I have a funny feeling I have a preditor in my tank. I've been adding inverts and some of them are turning up missing in action. I'm wondering if I don't have a mantis shrimp in the tank. I've heard some clicking at night, but I can't find him. Here's what gone mission.
1 boxing crab
2 emeralds...may be in there, I saw one of them last night.
7 scarlets...I put 10 in there the other day, only can find three. However, I've found several empty shells that had them in them and bits and pieces of fully colored "parts" around the tank.
My peppermint shrimp is alive and well though....could he out manuver a mantis shrimp?
I've also got turbos and nassiraus snails in there. They're not disappearing.
If this is what I've got...how do I find/catch him? Or, am I just worrying to much?
Meadbhb

 

[dskidmore]

Eww. Sounds like time to stake out the tank at night with a red-filtered flashlight.

 

[gasguzzler]

Mantis traps are readilly available at your LFS.

 

[duke13]

Do you hear clicking noises at night? Would sound like a shell hitting the glass. It's quite possible you got a Mantis Shrimp along with your LR. All I got to say is Mantis are hardy little

[hr]
who can really murder most of your tank.

 

[gasguzzler]

And they can definately break the glass of a 37 gallon.

 

[meadbhb]

Hiya,
Yeap, sounds like a shell hitting glass. I've managed to find both emeralds last night and four hermits, but that leaves six unaccounted for. Kinda funny that the peppermint shrimp has escaped a mantis shrimp all this time.
DS...how do I make my flashlight red light? Is there something I can put over it or do I need a bulb?
Gas!!!!! Please...tell me it isn't so!!! Are these traps under a specific name or just ask for a mantis trap?
Meadbhb

 

[nero]

all you have to do to make the flashlight red is get some red syran wrap, or a red transparency, and put it over the top where the light comes out. maybe hold it on with a rubber band or something... really quite easy. HTH

 

[dskidmore]

Red ballons are also reported to work well, although I bet that it's dimmer than the saran wrap method. Just need it to be a color you can see, and they can't.

 

[gasguzzler]

Yeah, you can get the mantis traps anywhere. My friend had one in his 92 corner, that was expensive.

 

[meadbhb]

Hiya,
Thanks you two! I'll have to see if anyone has red balloons or someting else I can use.
I'm also goign to invest in a trap....I don't want to have the stupid thing crack my tank!
Meadbhb

 

[new2u]

I'll buy it from you if you can find it

 

[meadbhb]

Hiya,
If I can find it...my calcuim just got to the level I can add corals. I might be interested in trading it for a frag. Not sure how much the pest is worth though.
Meadbhb

 

[new2u]

yeah ill probably just have to give ya some $$ cuz my reef is still comin along :nervous: